Patent GB-162347-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or connected with paper-carriages for calculating machines
IPC: B41J13/12
Filed: 1920-01-05
Abstract: 162,347. White, A. E., (Burroughs Adding Machine Co.). Jan. 5, 1920. Paper-supports; sheet and card feeding and clamping arrangements; printing-line indicators. -In printing - mechanism for calculating- machines, such as the Burroughs machine, the platen consists of a cylindrical segment which is formed of large radius in order that stiff sheets or cards may be held without being permanently bent, and is stepped upwards for line-spacing by mechanism operated from the prime mover of the machine. The platen 2 shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 7 consists of a rubber-faced segmental plate guided for circular movement in a rocking cradle 5 which is pivoted on a carriage 4 running on tracks 3 arranged near the base of the machine. The convexity of the platen enables the types 618 to print clearly. The cradle consists of arcuate side-bars connected by cross bars 5<c> and a diagonal frame 5<b>, the side bars being pivoted upon studs 5<a> carried by brackets 4<a> on the carriage. The platen is provided at the rear with arcuate racks 9 having lateral flanges engaging guide-grooves in the side bars of the cradle. The racks gear with pinions 15 on a shaft 14 which is journaled in the cradle and is connected to an adjustable counter-balancing spring 40. The platen can be raised or lowered by means of a knob 51, or can be raised step by step by the line-spacing mechanism, described below. The sheets are clamped by means of flexible steel bands 70 and strips 71, 93 which engage the sides, bottom, and top of the sheets respectively. The strip 71 is hinged on a rod 72, and the bands 70 are hinged to the strip 71 and are hung at the top on cranks 80 on a rock-shaft 81 provided with springs 83 for urging the bands towards the platen. The strip 93 is provided with pins 93<a> entering holes 70<b> in the bands, engagement being maintained by spring keepers 94. The clamps are released by rocking a finger-piece 84 on the shaft 81, and are held in the released position by the engagement of the tail of the finger-piece with a lug 91 on a spring 90. When the clamps are released, a single sheet or a block of sheets can be dropped into position, the sheets being squared by the engagement of the bottom edges with a shoulder 71<a> on the strip 71. Narrow cards areclamped by the strip 71 aided, if desired, by the strip 93. A printing-line indicator, employed also for pressing sheets or cards into contact with platen, consists of a curved plate 150, similar to that described in Specification 1810/08, secured to rocking arms 151 and normally held in contact with stops 156 by spring-urged catches 153 engaging pins 155 on the arms. The plate is formed with an aperture for the passage of the types and is provided on the upper edge with scale divisions which coincide with the printing- line when the plate is rocked forwards to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. The plate is retained in the operative position by the engagement of the pins 155 with notches in the catches. Printing-line indicators 50, Fig. 3, are secured to strips 10 at the sides of the cradle 5. The carriage is provided with an apron 160, Fig. 7, which forms a continuation of the plate 150. Figs. 13, 18, and 22 show a segmental platen 2 which is stationary for impression and is adapted for use in a visiblewriting machine comprising types 618 mounted on differentially-set bars 612, the types being normally below the printing line. The platen consists of a metal plate, faced with rubber and reinforced by internal ribs 2<k>, and is provided with radial arms 2<a> secured to a tubular shaft 2<c>, mounted on a rod 3d which is carried by the end plates 3 of the carriage. The platen is counterbalanced by a spring 7 connected to one of the plates 3 and an arm 2<d> on the platen. The platen is provided at the bottom with a hinged paperclamp 8, Figs. 13 and 22, formed with a shoulder for engaging and squaring the bottom edges of the sheets. The clamp is hinged on a rod 9 and is connected by a link 11 to a bell-crank 12 pivoted on the arm 2d and engaged by a spring 13 which urges the clamp towards the platen. The link 11 is formed with an ear 11<a>, Fig. 22, serving as a side-lay for the sheets. When the platen is moved into the highest position, the bell-crank 12 is automatically rocked to release the clamp by means of a bell-crank 14, Fig. 22, mounted on the carriage and having a cam-part 14<b> in the path of a roller 2<f> on the platen. The sheet is laid on the platen and held at the printing line by means of a thin plate 5d, slotted for the passage of the types, a spring-pressed bail 30, engaging the sheet at both sides of the printing area, and an apron 22, provided with pressure rollers 23, 24 .carried by levers 25 which are drawn together by springs 26. The distance between the platen and the types can be adjusted by means of screws 5<a> on the supporting-panel 5 of the carriage-tracks, the screws being formed hollow to receive locking- screws. Web feeding, guiding, and cutting arrangements.-(1) A web-roll B, Fig. 1, may be mounted on arms 102 which can slide laterally on horizontal rods secured to brackets 100 on the cradle 5. The web passes through a guide, consisting of spaced tubular members 112, 113, at the bottom of the platen and is led under the strip 93. A tearing-edge is formed on the strip. (2) A webroll 97 is mounted at the rear of the platen 2, Figs. 13 and 22, the web being led under the clamp 8 to a clamp 98 having a tearing-edge. Platen-impression arrangements.-The cradle 5, Figs. 1, 3, and 7, can be rocked for impression from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 1. The forwards movement is limited by the contact of lugs 5<d> on the cradle with bolts 6 on the carriage-brackets 4<a>, and the rearwards movement is limited by studs 115 on the lugs clicking into notches 116<a> in pivoted plates 116 drawn downwards by springs 117. On applying slight pressure to a handle 120 on the cradle, the pins leave the notches, and the cradle is thrown forwards by gravity, aided by the pressure of inclines 116<b> on the pins. Margin stops; alarms.-(1) The movements of the platen 2, Figs. 1, 3, and 7, are limited by the engagement of flanges 7, 8, Fig. 7, thereon with a stationary stop 52<a>. (2) The upwards movement of the platen 2, Figs. 13, 18, and 22, is limited by the roller 2<f>, Fig. 22, entering a. bend 14<c> in the bell-crank 14. The downwards movement is adjustably limited by the engagement of a lug thereon with the end 16<a> of an arcuate bar 16 having an arm 16<b> rocking on the rod 3<a>, and a slot 16<k> to receive a clamp-screw 17. For indicating the approach of the last line on the sheet, the bell-crank 14 is arranged to operate the hammer of a bell 15. Line-spacing mechanism.-(1) The platen 2, Figs. 1, 3, and 7, is raised step by step by means of a pawl 19 co-operating with a ratchet-wheel 16 on the shaft 14. The pawl is mounted on arms 18 connected by a link 20, a bell-crank 21, and a link 23 to a slotted arm 25 mounted on a rockshaft 26. A bail 27 on the rock-shaft is operated directly by a lever 92, such as that described in Specification 25588/11, engaging a cam 121 operated by the prime mover. The pawl is normally disengaged by contact of a finger thereon with a stud 30. When the platen is in the highest position, the line-spacing mechanism is disabled by means of a rocking fork 60, Fig. 3, having one line in the path of the flange 8, and the other in engagement with a pin on the pawl. (2) The platen 2, Figs. 13, 18, and 22, is raised step by step by a pawl 41 engaging an arcuate rack 40 and carried bv an arm 42 of a shaft 43 which is journaled in one of the carriage-plates 3 and is provided with an arm 44 connected by a link 45 to a slotted arm 46 operated by the prime mover. To permit of adjustment, the shaft 43 is journaled eccentrically in a rotatable bearing 50. A detent 52, engaging the rack, is secured to a pin 53 journaled in a sleeve 3<f> on the plate 3. The platen can be line-spaced at will by rocking a finger-lever 61<a> connected to a pawl 60 engaging the rack 40. The finger-lever is formed on a yoke 61 which can rock on the sleeve 3<f>, and the pawl is formed with a lateral pin mounted in the yoke. When the platen is raised to the highest position, the line-spacing mechanism is disabled by the engagement of the pawls 41, 60 with a plain part at the bottom of the rack. The platen is retained in the highest position by the engagement of the detent 52 with a notch. A knob 71 for raising or lowering the platen is associated with the following device for releasing the pawls 41, 60 and the detent 52. The knob is secured to a rod 80 on the platen, and is adjacent to a finger-piece 72<a> on a sliding sleeve 72 connected, in the manner described below, to a pivoted arm 80<a>, normally standing slightly in front of the pawls and the detent. By pulling the finger-piece 72<a>, the arm 80<a> is moved forwards and releases the pawls and detent. The arm 80<a> is formed with a notch 80<c> engaging a pin 78<a> on a rocking arm 78 connected to a bell-crank 76 by a link 77. The bell-crank 76 is forked to engage a sliding sleeve 75, and a lever 73 having forked ends engages the sleeves 75, 72. Column-printing arrangements. - (1) The carriage 4 of the platen 2 described with reference to Figs. 1, 3, and 7, is retained at any letter-space position for tabulating, by the frictional engagement of a rock shaft 125 on the carriage with a finger 126, in permanent engagement with a notched plate 127 on the track 3. The shaft is grooved longitudinally to receive a key 130, Fig. 7, mounted in a groove in the boss of the finger. A lever 140 connected to a spring 141 and engaging an arm 125b on the rock-shaft normally causes the rock-shaft to bind on the key and retain the carriage. By pressing on the finger-piece 140<a> of the lever, the shaft is released to permit of moving the carriage. (2) The carriage 3 of the platen described with refe